Idol House
by blinkkittylove
Summary: AU that takes some themes from my Idol Protection Program AU, throws Nico in an Idol version of Terrace House, and Maki gets to choose music instead of medicine. And the future will take into account the second season of Love Live Sunshine.
1. Chapter 1: A Midnight Question

**A/N: This is perhaps the start of an AU that takes some themes from my Idol Protection Program AU, throws in a dose of Terrace House, and Maki gets to choose music instead of medicine. And the future will factor in the second season of Love Live Sunshine.**

**I also wanted to write something short for our favorite redhead's birthday, I just finished it a bit early. I'm posting it so I don't talk myself out of it. Now back to jazz.**

R: Hey Maki Maki, what's up?

Nishikino Maki picked up her phone, frowning. She'd just seen Hoshizora Rin at school and her goofy ginger BFF and Rin's girlfriend, Koizumi Hanayo were planning to hit three different ramen shops tonight to celebrate Rin's highest grade on a project ever. So there should be no time for interrupting Maki with casual chatter.

M: Working.

R: Studying?

Maki hated lying so she didn't. She also didn't clarify. She did hit pause on the track she'd been composing on her Korg synth.

M: Not exactly. Aren't you and Hanayo restaurant touring tonight?

R: We are. Just resting between bowls. And we want to know why I got a better score than you on the project.

M: You worked hard, Rin (^^)ｂ

R: You didn't.

Maki didn't reply.

R: Do you miss Nico that much ╥﹏╥

Yes, Maki missed Yazawa Nico, her very busy, very talented girlfriend, and member of last year's Otonokizaka graduating class. Contrary to the opinion of her family and friends, that was not why Maki, the pride of the Nishikinos, former top student was now treading water smack in the middle of her class. But letting them think Maki's academic slump was about Nico kept them from getting too nosy. And Nico, now an executive producer and rising star resident of the 𝝁's inspired inaugural season of Idol House, had been too busy to ask about Maki's schoolwork. Maki made sure Nico was thinking about other things when they had dates. Because Maki was too often thinking about other things and too little anywhere near Nico. And now, thanks to Rin, Maki felt a wave of longing, to have Nico sitting there, headphones slotted in next to Maki's, listening to Maki's latest creations, suggesting a chord, occasionally reaching over to run her fingers across Maki's neck, ruffling hair, glowing at Maki when the tune reached its full potential, leaning in now that Maki had...but that was fantasy Nico. Actual Nico met Maki for burgers and midnight makeout sessions every couple weeks when she was free and in Tokyo. As discontent started to froth in Maki's stomach, her phone buzzed her out of the Nico haze.

R: So that's a yes. Call her.

M: It's more complicated than that.

R: ＝(￣□￣;)⇒ WITH NICO? WHAT HAPPENED? IS IT THAT AKI-SAN GIRL.

M: No, no Rin, don't start rumors. Nico's fine, just busy. So am I. We text everyday.

R: (⊙︿⊙✿)

Maki sighed.

M: Enjoy your night. I'll tell you sometime soon. EVERYTHING'S OKAY.

R: If you say so (๑´╹‸╹`๑)

R: We're here for you, you know, me and Kayo-chin (っ⇀⑃↼)っ

M: I know.

M: ₍ఠ ͜ఠ₎ Thanks

R: Get some sleep, Maki-chan ꒰◍ᐡᐤᐡ◍꒱

Maki put her phone down. Don't think about Nico, she told herself, get back to work.

###

Hours since the Rin text chat...Maki reached up to slide her headphones off. Her parents were probably at the hospital, she might have eaten something, what time was it? Sadly, ramen sounded good. Rin would probably know what Maki could keep up here with her electric tea kettle that wouldn't taste like cardboard and worms. Prep for college. Maki shoved her seat back...college, more books, less Nico, and another year of high school still…

The NicoTone...Maki glanced at the text.

N: Ladder

Nico was here. And not at the front door. It had been half a year since Maki had snuck Nico into her room this way...Maki pulled open her bottom desk drawer. Yep, the fire ladder was still there. She took it to the window, made sure it was braced, and lowered the rungs, watching out the window as Nico scrambled up. The tiny singer pulled herself up, swung her legs over the window, and then sat back, "Hey." Her long, black hair was pulled into a ponytail under a pink 𝝁's ballcap, she was wearing a loose gray sweatshirt over a black bra, capris leggings that looked like Samurai armor, and pink kicks. Sporty casual. A big switch from the business formal Maki had gotten used to seeing her in when they'd meet after Nico finished all day meetings.

"Nico?" Maki impulsively hugged Nico, a sweaty, tempting musk pushing sleep even further away. Then Nico wiggled loose.

"Good guess...now why are you flunking out of high school?" Nico's eyes were narrowed and much darker, both in color and mood.

"I'm not flunking…" Maki balled her hands into fists, "What did Rin tell you?"

"Her grades are higher than yours and you miss Nico so much you cry yourself to sleep every night." Nico pushed herself out of the window, examining Maki's laptop and synth setup curiously. "Got any snacks up here?"

"In my backpack." Maki pointed, exasperated. The 𝝁's rumor mill aka Lily White, Rin, Nozomi, and Umi, continued to function at rocket speed. "I don't cry myself to sleep."

Nico grabbed Maki's backpack, bounced onto Maki's bed, made herself a nest in the pillows, and started digging for calories. "So Rin DID score higher than you?"

"Yes." Maki sat, closing tabs on her laptop.

Nico whistled, "Do your parents know?"

"Not yet."

"Are they also going to call Nico up and accuse her of neglecting you?" Nico's eyes were brighter but not happier.

"I told Rin we were fine. Look!" Maki slid her desk chair closer to Nico, offering her phone.

Nico unwrapped a cupcake with one hand, Maki's phone in the other, her voice suddenly chilling."Why are you texting Tsubasa? About lyrics?"

Maki froze. "Uh…" Oh right, you could see at least 6 ongoing conversations from that screen.

"Uh?" Nico bit into the cupcake, threw Maki's phone down the bed, and spoke while chewing, "It's no wonder you don't miss Nico. Everyone's 'texting' you." She pulled a pillow in front of her, between them, chin pushing down into it, mouth twisted, eyebrow raised, "I thought the latest A-Rise song sounded 𝝁's nostalgic...it's not just because Tsubasa's mad crushing on you or Honoka or...is it."

"Tsubasa's not crushing on…" Maki leaned from chair to bed.

"Maki." Nico's voice snapped.

Maki had a sudden thought and put her knees on the bed, crawling Nico-ward, "Do we have to talk right now?" Maki paused, feeling a little silly but somewhat feral, and decided to go all in with a wink, shaking her head, curls bobbing, eyelashes fluttering, coyly gazing at Nico, which rated an eye roll from her visitor, "I've missed you, Nico-chan. You look so cute on my laptop screen."

Nico snorted and dropped Maki's backpack to the floor, "Watch Nico on a bigger screen. It's worth it. You'll be saying sexy."

"Sexy." Maki mouthed it slowly, tongue flicking, desperate, close enough to Nico that she could feel her girlfriend's breath on her lips, and then Maki forgot she had any kind of plan and surged forward. Nico was here, close enough to…

And Maki was flipped, Nico had taken the moment when Maki scrambled forward, off balance, to drop the redhead to the side, rolling Maki on her back after a brief wrestle, and straddling her waist, "Nope. Nico came to talk." Nico only sounded slightly smug.

Maki pouted, Nico laughed, "Nico missed Maki" and there was a quick kiss and Maki surged up, but Nico had her solidly pinned, "but Nico seems to have missed Maki turning into a two timing delinquent."

"I AM NOT." Maki couldn't help it, she shouted, and Nico's finger was on her lips.

"Shush."

"I am not two timing." Maki could feel her jaw clench.

A sigh, "I know. What are you doing?"

"Writing music."

Maki was watching Nico's face and she would have sworn Nico was angry, but her voice was full of casual disinterest, "For A-Rise?"

Maki was getting uncomfortable. She was only wearing boxers and a tank top and Nico was very warm and actually touching her. And Maki had had too many dreams that started like this recently. It was why she'd given up sleeping. She wanted Nico to shift, to a more advantageous position for...conversation, but no, Nico was persisting in using her like a tatami mat. All while Nico was being silent and judgy and thinking. Maki was too much a bundle of nerves not to be pacing right now. Which Nico knew. And yet, here she was, cold bloodedly dropping one hand on Maki's shoulder, the other on her hip to discourage fidgeting.

"Nico…" It wasn't a whine, not really...

"Writing music for…" Nico's chin jutted with the verbal nudge.

"A-Rise...a couple of singers they know...I haven't been doing it for long…" Way to sound confident, Nishikino, Maki thought as her voice quivered.

A staring match. Maki still thinking Nico might be mad, the eyebrow was at low grade twitch level, but Nico's voice remained terribly, terribly calm.

"And Nico is the last to know."

"No one knows, Nico-chan…"

"Tsubasa does…" Ah, now we were mad, Maki realized, as Nico pounced forward, causing Maki's heart to race with wild hope, but then Nico just pushed up and was back sitting in the window, arms crossed, before Maki could react. "You could have written a song for Nico." Finally, impatience cracked Nico's tone.

"I did, before…" Maki pointed to the laptop, "You can listen to them…"

Nico's eyes widened, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You're talking to professional producers now." Maki knew she sounded petty, but it had stung, the first time she saw Nico working with a talent the Idol House producers had set her up with, "And you didn't ask me to." Maki also knew she sounded bitter, but this was a grudge she'd been holding in for the past three months of filming. "You and Papa made sure I have nothing to do with Idol House."

Nico dropped her head, then sprang to her feet, Maki watching fascinating as the genuine YAZAWA NICO raged across her bedroom, hands flying, voice cracking, nearly hopping with rage, "I WAS LETTING YOU BE A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT."

Maki wasn't sure if her parents were home and she didn't care. Nico was here and she was finally noticing Maki the musician again, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I WANT.'

"YOU'RE NOT EVEN 17 YET."

"I KNOW WHAT I WANT."

Nico hesitated, hands hovering by her side, she and Maki were nose to nose and her eyes were deep ruby temptations but Maki dug her nails into her palms.

"WHAT?" Nico inhaled, "WHAT DO YOU WANT, MAKI?."

"YOU. I WANT YOU."

Shocked, Nico retreated back to the window, "You want to be Nico's child bride?"

"Yes." Wait, Maki wasn't a child, that was annoying, but Nico said bride, was that a proposal…

Nico watched Maki for a minute as the redhead raced through thoughts, paying no attention to her, then spoke at a normal volume. "That wasn't a proposal."

"Oh." Maki thought for another minute, grabbed Nico's hand, dragged her over to her desk, yanked open a drawer and pulled out a jewelry box, "This is. Marry me, Nico-chan."

The ring was platinum, with a cluster of pale pink gems designed to look like cherry blossoms. Maki had seen the ring at an art fair and knew it was meant for Nico's hand. Like Nico, it was unique, an original, the designer had only made one, beautiful, striking, irreproducible, breathtaking, lustrous, every adjective that suited Nico. Was Nico crying?

"Nico-chan?" Maki whispered, maybe she was down on one knee but it was only to see if Nico was crying, taking off the ball cap, gently sweeping strands of Nico's silky hair back.

"You're impossible." Nico was bawling. Her outbursts no longer terrified Maki as much as the first few times, but it did make her cautious, Maki put the ring box on her desk, and took Nico in her arms, sitting them both on the bed. Nico had her head on Maki's shoulder. Maki could feel her skin getting wet, although Nico's crying had turned silent, "What is Nico going to do with you?"

"Marry me." Maki suggested, kissing Nico's hair. "We run away together, I write songs for you, you sing, we tour, we teach our children all the words to the 𝝁's songs…"

"Children?" Nico sat up.

Maki shrugged.

Deft, delicate fingers stroked Maki's hair, Nico whispering in her ear, "Nico needs to visit more. You daydream too much."

Maki just hummed, squeezing Nico tighter, enjoying the sable hairs tickling her nose, and the fruity shampoo Nico always used. "Just enough."

Red eyed with crying, Nico tried to recover some of her dignity, tapping Maki on the shoulder, "Nico's songs need to better than Tsubasa's."

Nico hadn't said no. Nico hadn't said no. Maki giggled, silly and triumphant. "Of course they will be, they're Nico-chan's," With the gentlest of touches, she turned Nico's head so their lips were practically brushing, and with the softest of whispers, confessed again, "So am I."


	2. Chapter 2: Pancakes and Planning

Summary: Nishikino Maki has proposed, Yazawa Nico has accepted, and the next step is...pancakes on the couch.

Nishikino Maki sat with her legs pulled up on the comfiest couch in the media room, watching her FIANCÈE Yazawa Nico use a fork to deftly cut through a stack of blueberry pancakes the multi talented, multi tasking, multi cuteness personified Idol had cooked herself. This was her second stack, Nico demolishing food in record time, wearing an old, way too baggy 𝝁's Nico Nico Ni t-shirt over borrowed boxers that barely stayed up, sliding down to reveal the slight curve where her abs met...and Maki stopped there, her heart still on doki doki overflow post engagement exuberance. She and Nico had come as close as they ever had to THAT, the big step, and somehow Maki's entire nervous and circulatory system was still pounding wildly against her skin, surging again every time she had a flash of the fierceness in Nico's eyes or a tactile shiver at the thought of how adept both her hands and Nico's had been at finding curves and creases that threatened to push them beyond the boundaries they had agreed on in New York City, what seemed ten years ago. Was Nico this hot then? Did steam practically rise off both their skins when Maki had slid a little closer all those movie nights on this couch? Had Maki's hands tingled so much at the thought of sweeping over the bare skin of Nico's back...Maki jumped back, Nico looked startled.

"Sorry…" Maki muttered, feeling the blush.

Nico quirked an eyebrow, "Want some of Nico's pancakes?"

Maki tried not to cough as her brain took that thought and ran through mental doors into candlelit rooms, large fluffy covers on a bed big enough to sprawl across, no potential cameos from parents or Yazawa siblings threatening, her mouth now watering with thirst more than hunger.

"Idols don't eat." Nico continued matter-of-factly, giving Maki a chance to recover from whatever mental cul de sac she'd wandered into. Nico had learned to recognize the signs.

Nico leaned over, offering her fork to Maki, who opened her mouth to say, "You nev…" but then Nico shoved the pancakes in. Maki chewed quickly and continued, suddenly worried that Idol House and the pressures of living on camera was having a negative effect on Nico, "You never diet, you always say it's unhealthy, Nico-chan."

Nico sighed, and grumpily chomped a forkful of pancakes, "Idols don't eat, Maki-chan, because they don't have time."

Maki might have laughed, but as Nico's post high school career path became clearer, time they had together like this had become so much rarer. So Maki's sigh was the match of Nico's and she scooted closer on the couch, dropping her head on Nico's shoulder as the Number One Idol in Any Universe continued to channel her inner lumberjack and got down to crumbs on the plate. Nico set it aside on the coffee table and turned to face Maki, settling into the lotus position. Nico really was tiny, but Maki only noticed on nights like this, when Nico was relaxed and at ease, Nico sized, casual, comfortable...at home, Maki wanted that Nico, every day, in THEIR home, on THEIR couch, discussing THEIR day.

Even if she asked questions like this. "So, are you really doing that poorly in school?"

Maki shrugged.

Nico shook her head, all the hard angles in her face softened with loving concern. "Your parents are going to blame Nico."

Maki knew that wasn't true, "My parents are going to blame me."

"And tell you to stop seeing Nico so much." There was still sharpness in her tone. Both their parents had been causing just enough friction that triggering genuine worries about Maki's future was problematic.

"I hardly see Nico-chan at all." Maki twisted her hair, not aware of the gesture, Nico smiled at the habit.

Nico turned the new ring on her finger, watching the pink gems sparkle, "Nico will make sure you don't forget what she looks like before the wedding."

Maki took Nico's face in both her hands, kissing her fiancèe impulsively, fueled by the lingering allure of the Nico who visited her dreams near nightly, "I couldn't."

The pauses for kissing in their conversations had been getting longer for months now so when the front door closed and parental Nishikinos could be heard in the hall, Maki and Nico were horizontal on the couch. Nico jumped up, startled, but Maki was stubbornly glaring at the door through the couch.

"We need a place of our own." Maki muttered.

"Nico doesn't disagree but…" Nico settled in, fixing her hair, tilting her head back to cheerfully greet Maki's parents with an upside down smile as they hesitated in the doorway, "Welcome home! Nico has some pancake mix left in the fridge if you're hungry."

"Nico…" Maki's mother sounded harried, Maki's father yawning behind her, "We weren't expecting you."

"No." Nico looked pointedly at Maki, "but Maki was having an academic crisis so I came by to fix her."

Maki's father spoke, stern, "What happened, Maki?"

"My project didn't go as well as it could have, but I passed." Maki crawled up next to Nico, arms hanging over the couch back as she scowled at the intruders.

"Passing is not an acceptable grade for a Nishikino." Disapproval boomed, filling the room, but glancing off its intended target.

Maki decided to follow up the bad news for her grades with the best news for her future, "Nico and I are engaged." Silence. Also booming. And three people staring at Maki, who pushed off the couch and stood, feeling a surge of confidence, although when her legs trembled slightly she thought it might have been better if she'd eaten a few more bites of pancakes. "I asked Nico to marry me and she said yes."

Nico flashed the ring over the couch back with an even more incandescent smile, "Welcome to the family. Nico Nico Ni."

Maki giggled as Nico raised her left hand to her temple with her signature move.

The Drs. Nishikino let out simultaneous exasperated noises, but Maki's father spoke first, "Your mother and I have had an exhausting day. Nico is welcome to stay in a guest room and we will discuss this in the morning."

Maki glanced at Nico, who seemed doubtful. "Nico-chan?"

"Sorry, Maki, I can't stay for breakfast negotiations. Classes with a famous K-Pop dance studio at dawn." Nico bopped up and kissed Maki on the cheek, "but Nico trusts you."

"This is a family conversation anyway." The grumpier Dr. Nishikino had his arms crossed petulantly.

"Nico is family," Maki snapped at her father, who gaped in surprise at his suddenly wayward child.

"Let's go upstairs and let the girls say goodnight, dear. Be careful getting back home, Nico. We'll see you soon," Maki's mother was trying to soothe things over, her arm wrapping around her husband's waist but everyone could see the sparks coming off the two redheads in the room, "Don't stay up too late, Maki."

"Good night, Mama. Papa." Maki's dismissal was peremptory as she took Nico's hand, feeling the stones of the ring she'd found solid against her palm, eyes only for Nico.

"You are the bravest," Nico whispered, rising on her tiptoes to kiss Maki gently. "I love you."

Maki shook her head, hair falling over her eyes, full of the brash confidence that took over when she didn't think, just acted. "It's not brave. I don't care what they think about us getting married. What matters is that we want to."

"Maki…" Nico caressed Maki's cheek with her free hand, "be a little patient. You're their baby. Parents get attached."

Frustrated by the lack of parental empathy and Nico's reasonableness about it, Maki changed the topic again, "Do you really have to leave, Nico-chan?"

Nico's eyebrows raised, and she considered for a long moment before replying, but Maki could see the eagerness coming through the thoughtful."Yeah...but I'm going to cancel everything after Thursday so we can have a long weekend and talk about EVERYTHING."

Maki felt more awake as she stopped worrying about practical things, realizing how close Nico was to her right now, feeling Nico's fingers brush through her hair, as their bodies angled nearer to each other...maybe she could reserve a suite somewhere in downtown Tokyo...and she and Nico could finally have some privacy…

"Maki-chan?"A hip nudge. Maki thrilled at the sensation. Almost dancing, but secret, just between them.

Maki grinned at Nico, suddenly daring, "Want to hide out in a comfy suite somewhere, order room service all weekend, and not tell anyone?"

Before Maki could even blink, Nico had slid her hand to the back of Maki's neck, and yanked the redhead to her, lips so insistent that Maki thought she was going to swoon. Then Nico whispered, hushed, heated, "more than anything" and Maki did, Nico guiding her back to the couch as her legs buckled.

"Nico's going to have to tuck you in, can't have my super hot, super talented bride to be get a concussion falling down the stairs." Nico had Maki in her lap, wiry arms keeping the redhead from canting off the front of the couch as the practiced smile became a perfect one.

Definitely reserving a suite at the Granbell for the weekend, Maki decided as she slid her arms around Nico's shoulders, losing count of the embers smoldering in fiery eyes as her fingers stroked through the silken, sable strands seducing the rest of her senses. Maki could feel the trust, the love, the strength banked between them. It was time to let THAT blaze.

A/N: Happy Birthday to Maki! The story continues. And thanks to all of you who find inspiration in these 𝝁's and stop by to read.

And now back to jazz and Christmas...I want to to finish that by my birthday ; )


	3. Chapter 3: Scenes From A Long Weekend

**Summary: We have a disturbed Eli, a second proposal, and Nico and Maki sneaking off to a penthouse suite.**

Ayase Eli's phone went crazy. But she was in class so she slipped it out, saw Nico's pic, flipped it to mute, slid it back in her pocket and managed to ignore the near constant vibrations for almost ninety seconds before she caved and pulled the phone out, hoping her professor wouldn't comment on the distraction. Eli had become well known in the Economics department for her usual 'Star Student' habits so she knew the professor would not suspect her of casual disrespect.

N: ELI ELI ELI! NICO NEEDS THE RING

N: TEXT ME

N: SKIP CLASS

N: NICO IS AT YOUR PLACE

N: ELI!

N: ˛˛૧(˵¯͒▱¯͒˵)

Eli typed quickly.

E: What the heck...

N: NICO NEEDS THE RING. NOW.

E: You said I had until Maki's birthday.

A pause and then an image downloaded, a snap of a Nico's finger, one with a new cluster of pink gems, reminiscent of cherry blossoms. It was a beautiful piece. Eli whistled, which got her a glare from the TA. She ducked her head apologetically.

N: Nico's genius girlfriend fiancee skipped ahead ₍՞◌′ᵕ‵ू◌₎

N: But now Nico needs to catch up. So NICO NEEDS THE RING. NOW ಠ⌣ಠ

E: I have plans with Nozomi tonight.

Eli was going to planning to take her own fiancee, Tojo Nozomi, out to a movie.

N: CANCEL THEM. Maki booked a suite at the Granbell. I can't go in empty handed.

Eli blinked at that. Nico rarely shared any specifics of her plans with Maki, certainly not unless Nozomi crowbarred them out of her. Even more than her own privacy, Nico was protective of Maki's.

E: Buy flowers. OR chocolate. Maki loves you. Obviously.

N: 凸(｀0´)凸

E: Language.

N: (ﾉ￣□￣)ﾉ ~┻━┻

N:...please, Eli, it's Maki. She's supershy supercute ꒰ •͈́ ̫ •͈̀ ꒱ˉ̞̭ about romance and Nico CAN'T mess this up (ⅈ▱ⅈ)

Eli raised an eyebrow. Nozomi had always suggested that Nico and Maki's relationship arc hadn't left orbit yet, and Eli doubted Nico would be this open and this frantic if she weren't desperate. Mood...and confidence really did matter in these situations, Eli knew from her own experience. Eli felt a twinge of sympathy for Nico's plans being accelerated. But Maki had always been impulsive, wrecking many of Nico's carefully laid schemes, which Eli would find about, after the fact, when she and Nozomi would catch Nico grumbling.

E: Calm down. I'll be there as soon as I can.

E: But you're making dinner. And at least three breakfasts worth of muffins.

N: ~~ヾ(▽)ﾉ｡･

N: ٩(๑∂▿∂๑)۶

N: ( ૢ⁼̴̤̆ ꇴ ⁼̴̤̆ ૢ)~ෆ

E: I'm putting my phone away now.

N: (ɔˆ ³(ˆ⌣ˆc)

E: Save it for Maki

N: 凸(｀0´)凸

The TA had gotten to glaring. Eli scrunched down a little, hands raised in what she hoped would read as a penitent gesture. The TA just shook her head sadly. Eli focused her attention on the professor, but her mind was skipping around the Maki had beaten Nico to a proposal thought. She should have texted Nozomi before she'd put her phone away. Eli started to reach into her pocket but the TA's tetchy disapproval brought Eli's better nature to the fore. After class, she'd call Nozomi. And then head home.

###

Nishikino Maki was pacing. And packing. What should she take for the four days she and Nico were dropping off the grid? Laptop, linger...Maki shook her head, nervous, palms sweating. Two days was too much time to think, too many things she could buy, too much wondering what would Nico like, what would Nico bring, what would...Maki threw herself on the bed, grabbing the nearest pillow, and screaming into it. Too many decisions.

"Maki?"

She'd left the door open. Less of a trapped feeling. So of course her mother was standing there, staring into the room where Maki had emptied most of two drawers on the bed.

"Running away from home?" Her mother sounded a little sad. Maki put the pillow aside, but didn't reply. "Your father just thinks you're very young."

Maki shrugged. "He doesn't know much about me anymore."

"No." Maki's mother pulled the desk chair to the middle of the room, "Your Idol phase…"

"It's not a phase."

"No. 𝜇's seems to have…" her mother shook her head, trying to be careful with language, "You've really grown up since Honoka discovered you playing the piano."

Maki grinned. Looking up to see Honoka gleam when listening to her play and sing was still one of her warmest memories.

"I'm very proud of you." Maki's mom took both of Maki's hands, waiting until her daughter met her gaze, "If you ever want to talk about anything, I'll be here for you. I love you, Maki."

Maki nodded. "Thanks, Mama, but I really have too many things to do."

"All right," chair back to the desk, "but one of them had better be studying; you don't want to do worse in high school than your fiancèe did, do you? I'm sure Nico would never tease you about that..."

"Mama…" Maki grabbed a pillow for support again.

Dr. Nishikino chuckled. There was still leverage, if you knew Maki well.

###

Nico was pacing. Maki stepped out onto the roof, on this still chilly, not quite Spring day, to see Nico not as bundled up as she expected. No mask, no scarf, just her long pink dress coat, over a very short, very stylish dress Maki had never seen before. Nico had dressed to impress, rather than for warmth. Maki rolled her eyes, she'd just have to get Nico back inside. If Nico really wanted to talk about something before dinner, surely they could do it in the music room.

"Nico-chan!" Maki stood in the door, "Come inside."

Nico whirled, like she'd been caught at something, one hand in her pocket, the other caught in mid point.

"Nico-chan?" Maki stepped out onto the roof, the door closing behind her, mood suddenly as chilly as the wind cutting through her school blazer. Was Nico having second thoughts? "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…" Nico's voice was shaking as were her hands. She slapped her own face, muttering...Maki could barely hear every few words…"Nico...do this...problem..."

"Nico-chan?" Maki grabbed Nico's sleeve, panicking, checking Nico's hand to make sure the ring was still there, "Do you not want…did you change your..."

Nico shuddered, shifting out of motion into staring, blinking, hands waving in a stopping motion, "No, no...Nico's…" Nico stomped and bounced in place, looking like a tiny cold, Ferdinand who'd just sat on a bee. "Nico's just nervous because you jumped ahead and Nico was already planning to propose, but Eli was busy and you found a beautiful ring and Nico was too slow and now you want to...and Nico…"

Maki couldn't follow that at all...Nico had nearly folded herself inside and out as she twisted through that explanation in the two tiny steps she had to get closer to Maki. Then her hand stroked down Maki's forearm and Maki stopped thinking, all her senses captive to whatever Nico intended next.

"Hug me, Nico's freezing."

Maki laughed and pulled the tiny Idol into a crushing hug, picking Nico up and whirling them both. "I love you, Nico-chan."

"I love you too, Maki. Wear this for me." Nico took Maki's left hand, and slid a ring on it, kissing Maki's palm. Maki's knees buckled and she could feel the tears rush in her throat when she realized what Nico had done, tears that were going to escape soon. A cluster of purple and red stones were set atop twisted platinum braids. "I had Eli switch from gold so we'd match." Nico put her left palm against Maki's, fingers entwining.

"Eli made this? It's beautiful." Maki's grin grew even as she could feel the fluttering taking over.

"Of course it is, Nico picked everything out and now Nico owes her and Nozomi ten dinners for making her rush, but…" Nico put her right hand over Maki's, pulling the redhead closer, Maki's free hand falling to Nico's shoulder, "Tonight, I want you to know how special you are, Nishikino Maki, how brilliant, how much you sparkle, how much I love you. Marrying you will be my happiest day."

Maki couldn't stop the tears, messy crying so both she and Nico had slick cheeks and soaked collars. Nico was kissing her, lips sliding together, sparks even through the tears, warmth even in the wind. "I love you, Nico-chan."

Nico's lips moved to Maki's ear, whispering as Nico stroked Maki's hair, "Want to try this indoors somewhere."

Giddy, Maki grabbed Nico, lifting her again, whuumphing the air out of her fiancèe.

"Maki," Nico tapped the redhead's back, "breathing…"

"Sorry, Nico-chan." Maki kept Nico's hand in one of hers, using the other one to rub her eyes, "I just…"

Nico kissed Maki on the cheek, "Hold me as tight as you want, AFTER dinner. You can be Nico's dessert."

Maki blushed and bumped Nico with her shoulder. This was going to be okay, Maki thought, as she caught the stones glinting in her ring. No, she realized, as Nico hummed happily, this was going to be amazing.

###

"All mine, so fine  
Every touch is...unf...divine"

Nico had been dating Maki for more than a year now and it was not until this moment, during their first night together, alone, when Nico opened her eyes after a brief nap, and caught Maki in a whirlwind of motion, new robe falling open, still wearing nothing underneath, Nico's ring glinting on the hand gesturing in the air, that Nico realized she was in love with a completely crazy person. Who played air guitar after sex. Nico giggled, the night was continuing to be legendary, "This is what you and Rin do when you have sleepovers, isn't it. Pretend you're in a rock band. But in cute animal pjs, I hope."

Maki froze, blushed, and wrapped her robe around herself, crouching to make herself as small as possible, the lights of the Tokyo skyline in the window behind her.

"What were you singing?" Nico asked in a teasing voice.

Maki groaned before diving under the sheets.

"Maki?" Nico lifted the sheet, Maki looking up at her, eyes wide.

Nico could barely hear Maki's whisper: "All mine, so fine. Every touch is…" Maki paused, flaring blush…"unf...divine"

"Unf?"

Maki shook her head, refusing to clarify, pulling the sheet back down to cover her; Nico giggled 'No wonder you let Umi write the lyrics." Nico heard Maki's temper flare in the drawn in breath and interrupted before Maki could snap, "but it's kinda sexy, especially with Nico's ring." Nico took Maki's hand, yanking the redhead toward her until she saw tousled red hair and a bare shoulder. "Say it again."

"Unf?" Maki sounded confused

"Again", Nico let her voice and her eyes drop, turns out Maki blushed everywhere but when she looked back up, Maki had a dare back in those dreamfuel eyes

"Unf…"it was a low trill rolling up Maki's throat so Nico pounced.

###

Nico was behind pillows scrolling through Maki's budgeting app. "You're not charging enough, Maki-chan. Nico knows how much a good producer costs and you're twice as awesome for a tenth the price."

Maki peeked over the top of her laptop, "But I was doing Tsubasa a favor…"

"A-Rise can afford you; they don't need favors." Nico paused, considering how to explain. "If you're serious, people need to take you seriously. So you need to charge industry level fees." Nico frowned at Maki, "Plus, we're going to have a lot more living expenses when we move in together, rent, utilities…"

"Rent?" Maki seemed puzzled.

"What you pay monthly for an apartment."

"Wouldn't we just own the building? I have one." Maki swept through windows on her laptop, trying to find the address of the house she'd inherited from her great aunt. Nico was just staring.

"You have a building?"

Maki nodded.

"Where?"

"Somewhere in Yanaka or Asakusa, I think. Our real estate management company handles the details, I think there are currently people living there...or it might need renovations? They won't send me this year's report for a few months yet."

Nico had flopped back, against the headboard. "It will only really help if it's in Shibuya or somewhere we can get a certificate."

Maki was squinting at the screen, "Maybe we could trade it to my parents for another one of their properties."

Nico watched the sky get lighter through the large windows of the Granbell's Penthouse Suite as the dawn greeted Tokyo. Maki, dressed only in the short silk lavender floral robe Nico had bought her for this weekend, was lying in front of her laptop, smiling sweetly up at Nico, hair mussed in an oddly cute fashion that only worked for the redhead, or maybe Nico was just in that deep that Maki's hair could do anything and Nico would find herself wanting to tangle fingers in the curls. So she did and Maki leaned in to the touch with an almost purr. There had been so many revelations since they'd checked in and now, waiting for a very late midnight snack 38 hours into their getaway, they'd reached the discussing money and other practical things portion of their plan. And Nico was trying very hard not to feel like she was slipping into a flood.

"Nico-chan?"

Nico glanced down and Maki's head was tilted toward her, amethyst eyes still full of softness and wonder.

"Just trying to wrap my head around what I'm marrying into…"

Maki looked worried and put her laptop on Nico's pillow, flipping over and sitting up, to drape herself over the Idol's back, nuzzling into sable hair, "Here, just look at last year's summary of my holdings...it'll explain it better than I could. This is just what's in my name, not the family stuff."

And the numbers on the screen were still more than Nico in her wildest dreams had planned to net in ten years. "No wonder your parents don't want you to marry Nico. There's a lot to protect."

"I don't need protection…" Maki sounded angry.

"What if I want to protect you?"

Maki snorted, "I'll think it's cute. Like you."

Nico slid an arm around Maki's waist, pulling her fiancèe nose to nose, "Nobody hurts you on Nico's watch."

"Do I swoon now?" Maki giggled.

"Well, yeah." At Nico's indignant agreement, Maki started laughing so much she bounced both of them to the edge of the bed.

###

"I can't believe you brought cookies." Maki munched as she spoke, digging through Nico's food stash bag.

"Thank you, Nico. I have a genius for a future wife. These are the things you should be saying." Nico complained, poking Maki with a pillow.

Maki pivoted, grabbing the pillow, but then leaning in to kiss Nico firmly on the lips, "How about I share?"

Nico's tongue flicked out, "They are tasty."

"So are you."

Nico laughed and tossed another pillow at Maki, "I thought you wanted to order dinner."

Maki fell back, letting the sheet slide down her torso. She'd learned quickly that that was guaranteed way to get Nico's attention. And yes, there was Nico's hand, fingers tapping a gentle rhythm as they moved across her hip, Nico dropping to her shoulder to face her.

"I'm not as hungry now." Maki grinned, reaching behind her to grab another cookie and bite into it, "Thank you, Nico."

Nico bopped Maki's nose with her own, "You're too cute."

Maki raised both eyebrows, "Exactly."

"So it's a plan, this cuteness." Nico shifted closer, and Maki found herself staring again, strangely nervous.

"Umm…" How did Nico do that, things would be casual, they would be talking, or flirting or just sitting there, and something would change, deep in her lusturous eyes, a shadow would brighten, sharp want would rip through polished charm, a particular shade of ruby would flame, the intensity would laser up, and Maki the mess would be blushing and stumbling over words and crazy to get closer.

"Nico approves." It was a whisper, so Maki would have to get nearer to hear, and then the tender words that followed were so soft, Nico had to press them onto Maki's lips with her own.

###

"You're probably all wrinkled by now." Nico decided as she walked up to the bath, startling Maki. The lighting was low, Chopin was playing over the speakers, and Maki sunk low into the water.

"Come on, Nico's lonely." Nico perched on the side of the tub and splashed at Maki, who grimaced and protected her face.

"I like it here."

"Once Nico takes off her robe, the view downstairs will be better."

Maki sighed and pulled her knees to her chin, leaning forward. Nico considered for a minute, then slid into the tub, not caring about the hotel robe, embracing Maki. "It's not even warm anymore. You're shivering."

"Nico-chan…" Maki sounded young. And scared, Nico realized.

"What is it? Nico loves you, everything will be fine."

Maki shook her head, sinking even lower.

Nico decided drastic measures were required so she rose to her feet, leveraging a Maki too slow to react with her, and for a truly scary moment, both of them were sliding then Nico recovered, sitting on the edge, Maki falling over her.

"This is a position Nico hadn't thought of," Nico tickled Maki, who was lying across her lap, slippery and complaining.

"That was dumb, Nico-chan. We could have fallen." Maki batted at Nico's hands, "Stop that."

At least Nico had gotten the gloomy out of Maki's voice. The redhead pushed herself up, trying to cover herself with her hands until she could grab her towel. Nico looked away. Then suddenly, Maki was squeezing her tightly from behind, damp curls cold against Nico's cheek.

"I don't want to go home."

"No."

"Let's stay."

"Nico misses a kitchen."

"Sneak me back with you." Maki started kissing Nico's ear, her hands sliding down Nico's shoulders.

"Okay."

"Okay?" Maki stopped, surprised.

Nico shrugged, "I miss seeing you everyday. I'm going to miss you more now."

"Yeah." Maki sat on the edge of the tub again, hanging her head.

Nico swiveled and took Maki's hand, "Nico's under contract for three more months of Idol House residence. Then we can do something else."

"Really?"

"Well, staying at the house would be convenient, but Nico's got a lot of offers and if I could just toss you in my luggage, I'd take them."

"And if I make it so you can toss me in your luggage?" Maki was leaning against Nico, which helped a little with the freezing.

"We'll conquer the world." Nico was hit by the weight of two futures suddenly, but with Maki's hand in hers, she felt more confident than any of her brash "Nico Nico Ni" Idol moments, "Nico Ni and her Maki-chan."

"Yeah." Maki shifted even closer, her voice clear, sure. "I love you, Nico-chan."

"I love you, Maki."

Soft kisses were even better than the steamy ones, soft kisses, tender strokes, open hearts, wide eyes, true feelings, firm resolves.

A/N: A/N: And we continue...Cheers!


	4. Chapter 4: Idol House Invasion

**Summary: This week's Idol House broadcast gives Nishikino Maki too much information about one of Yazawa Nico's housemates.**

Light music was playing as two young women lounged on cushions in front of a bunk bed. The speaker had short, dark hair streaked with pink highlights, hugging a large plush monster as her voice shook. "I knew she had a girlfriend but when I saw the ring, it just got real and I realized how serious my feelings were. But how can I confess now…"

"Aki-san, I knew it...she's trying to steal Nico!" Hoshizora Rin shot to her feet, pointing at the large screen in the Nishikino media room where the latest episode of Idol House was playing.

"RIN!" Hanayo squeaked a warning as her head pivoted wildly, watching Rin and Nishikino Maki warily.

Maki looked stunned, casually sitting back behind a pillow in her comfiest sweats. Up until now, it had been a perfectly normal MakiRinPana weekly Idol House sleepover party night. But now, with the on screen revelation, the mood instantly darkened. As Maki leaned forward for the remote, a growl might have started in her chest but then the NicoTone went off. Maki muted her phone, dropping it next to her, only paying attention to the two girls onscreen.

'You know she's going to see this, Aki-chan.' Harada Mai, Idol House resident and member of the J-Pop group Bokeh Blossom, handed a box of tissues to her crying housemate, who managed to not block her face from the camera.

'That's a smile. Aki's smiling." Rin screamed. 'She knows people are going to pay more attention after she said that about Nico. It's a plan."

Hanayo stopped, frowning at the screen, "Maybe."

'Be quiet.' Maki ordered, ignoring her best friends' discussion.

'I just don't know what to do. Nico-chan…" Aki sniffled.

'Don't call her that.' Maki snarled at the screen.

'...has helped me so much, she's so mature...' Aki was getting closer to a sob, taking a brief moment to hide her face in the plushie.

Maki snorted, remembering Nico chasing Rin through Odaiba just last month.

Mai agreed, "She's been a big help to everyone, cooking dinners for the house, giving advice, she's like everybody's big sister."

'And she's so tiny and cute.' And with those words Kawano Aki gained a blood nemesis for life.

That was definitely a large and scary growl from the fiancèe of the tiny and cute Yazawa Nico. Rin and Hanayo exchanged a worried look as Maki grabbed her phone and stormed out of the room.

'We'd better keep watching, Kayo-chin.' Rin decided, grim.

Hanayo had her phone out, 'And take notes.'

###

Nico was tucked up in 'her' alcove, staring out the floor to ceiling glass windows at the central garden terraces, temporarily away from the cameras and her housemates, who were watching the rest of the broadcast. Nico was stunned. She'd never expected Aki's behind her back confession. There'd been no warning, not for her, not for...Nico stared at her phone, fretting. She'd called and texted Maki, dodged Aki's attempts to 'talk about it' and was now waiting for Maki to get to the point where she was ready to communicate. And there it was. "Daring!" Nico swiped, "Maki-chan?"

Silence…

"Maki?"

"Did she talk to you?" Abrasive, no melody.

"She tried to but Nico had an important call to make." Very matter of fact.

"What are you going to do?" Petulant.

Nico bit her lip, "Tell Kawano-san firmly that I'm not interested. She knows I'm engaged." Nico squelched a 'Nico Ni can't help being irresistible' flirt that almost bubbled out.

"You share a room." Maki sounded like she was going through a countdown to launching a rocket.

"Not anymore. Nico will be switching with someone…" Nico was curled into the back corner of the alcove, trying not to let the concrete gray surrounding her seep into her mood. It was chilly and she'd forgotten to bring a blanket down with her. What she really wanted was a borrowed Maki hoodie she could just wrap herself up in. "Hey, Nico's going to stop by and pick up a hoodie soon. This house gets cold."

"Windows and concrete, what did you expect?" Maki sounded shaky, "Can you come by tonight?"

"It's almost 10, Maki. And I have an all day event tomorrow with a 6 a.m. call time."

"Oh…" Nico could feel the gloom through the phone.

Nico rushed to reassure. "It's just a Nico Ni thing. None of the other girls. Nico's the most popular Idol and Number One Influencer in Japan. Brands are clamoring for a minute of her time."

"Everyone is." Nico could see the pout as Maki muttered into her phone. She probably had it on speaker and was sprawled out on her bed.

"Maki…"

Maki cut her off. "Good night, Nico-chan. I love you."

"Maki…"

No answer. Nico put her phone down, fingers running through her sable hair, thoughts a lightspeed scattering of a thousand bright shards...tonight, she was sleeping on a couch. Tomorrow, she'd get Maki to talk. Aki...Aki could just shut up. Forever.

###

Maki returned to the media room. Rin was bouncing; Hanayo looking worried.

"How did you know?" Maki asked the over excited ginger.

"What?" Rin scratched her head.

"You said 'it's that Aki-san, isn't it', when I texted you last week. How did you know?" Maki was glowering. And tall. Rin knew it wasn't anything she had done, but it was still frightening. Hanayo put a hand out to pull Rin down next to her.

"Rin's really good at reading people." Hanayo said proudly.

"Yeah, it's how I knew you were mad crushing on Nico from the first day…"

Maki waved that off, repeating her question plaintively, "How, Rin?"

Rin's agile face scrunched as she remembered scenes, "She touches her face and her hair, sometimes she touches Nico's arm when they're in the kitchen, she stares A LOT when Nico isn't looking, she wears extra cute pajamas when Nico-chan's in town…"

"STOP." Maki was gripping the back of the couch. "Does Nico…."

"Of course she doesn't…" Hanayo said hastily.

Maki stared at Rin, who paled. "Maki, that's not a good question to ask"

"Rin." So serious.

Hanayo stayed encouraging. "You watch the show too. Nico doesn't treat anybody any differently."

"Rin." Maki ignored Hanayo's forced optimism.

Rin buried her face in Hanayo's shoulder, who sighed and spoke for both of them, "We don't know. But we trust Nico. So should you."

Maki was staring at the ring on her finger, red and purple garnets, her and Nico, "I trust Nico-chan."

"Then you know she would never…" Rin spoke, still not looking.

"I'm going to visit." Maki closed her left fist.

"But you can't…"Hanayo nearly fell off the couch, "your parents..."

Maki released the couch, no longer leaning, "What that means is that that Idol House can't broadcast footage with me; they can't ban me from the premises…"

Hanayo, along with the μ's collective ownership stake, had also taken an internship with the show, helping the aspiring Idols with their social media. So she felt a responsibility to the program. "You'll put Nico in a difficult position. She's one of the producers."

Rin nodded, she and Hanayo were in their danger looming poses, arms wrapped around each other, "And Nico-chan will think you don't trust her."

Maki's patience for being in the presence of reasonable people evaporated, "I'm taking a bath. I'll see you at breakfast."

Before she left the room, Rin asked a quiet question, "What are you going to do, Maki-chan?"

"I don't know." Maki didn't turn around. Because that was a lie. And Rin would have seen it on her face. She was going to text Kotori and talk to her mother. Tomorrow, Maki had a few errands to run. And Nico was going to come home to a visitor.

###

17 hour day, so many costume changes, so many chirping, cheerful exchanges of greetings. Nico was Nico Ni'ed out. It didn't happen often, but living on on camera daily was bringing an even more constant awareness of her own tendency to split her worlds and play up her Idol persona for anyone who wasn't...Maki. Maki had a knack for forcing her to be real, for making her want to just sit around, be silly, eat snacks, have fun...Nico glanced up at the chalkboard for notes. There was a new one: Princess in the castle. Nico smiled, thinking of Diamond Princess Maki and wondering what the note writer meant. Then she wandered into the dining area and saw the flash of red hair on the couch facing the windows, long legs not nearly covered enough by a short, sportif off white skirt, too tight purple heathered jersey with a high zip collar - Nico recognized the curves, but she'd never seen the clothes.

'Maki?' Nico couldn't hide her surprise.

The invading princess jumped, nearly dropping her phone. Aki and Ryuen Shizu, the cheerful chubby chuunibyou half Korean with the darkly gorgeous voice were playing a video game on the couch tucked into the furthest corner of the room .

'Nico-chan. You're home.' Maki sounded startled, looking around, as if only now aware she wasn't alone in a room at her home.

'Yes. Nico's back. This is my house, you know that, right?" Nico stood, hands on hips, 'That's why you're here right? You were expecting me." A pause for processing. "Why are you here? You can't be here."

"Mama said...' Maki was stumbling over words and fumbling with her phone. Not a good sign.

"Mama said…" that meant broadcast permission...Nico immediately widened her grimace to a smile, ruby eyes professionally a-twinkle, resisting the urge to demand any immediate answers from Maki. Time for a different tactic.

"'If you girls don't mind, I'll take Maki out of your way.' Nico was impressed with how in control she sounded. She hoped that wasn't a delusion to be shattered by next week's broadcast.

Aki had put down her controller, her eyes wide and mournful, 'But shouldn't we all talk it out, Nico-chan?'

Suddenly agile again, Maki was on her feet and between Nico and Aki, 'Don't you call her...'

Nico raised her voice to a flirty pitch and tugged Maki back, smiling winningly at the redhead as she kissed her on the cheek, "Nico and this cutie need some cozy PRIVATE time." Then Nico dragged her stunned, inertia prone fiancèe out of the common area, past the camera crew set up in the dining area. She tossed her mic pack at a PA and once they were past the table, spun Maki around and removed hers, leaving it on a shelf. Then she yanked the redhead down to the first floor alcove, giving the camera operators a death glare to ensure no one would follow, deciding to zoom past the padded lounging area and through the door to outside, ducking around to a space hidden from interior view in case Aki decided to follow.

Nico reached up, hands twining through Maki's hair, and pulled the redhead down into a hard, demanding kiss that left both of them breathless and Maki wild around the eyes, "This was a dumb thing, Maki. Don't you trust Nico?"

A returned kiss, all desperate passion, and Nico forgot what her next point was. This wasn't going sensibly. Maki's skirt was too short, it was too easy for Nico to find her hand sweeping its way up…Nico stepped back, shaking herself, letting the cold make her shiver.

"Maki? Did you hear me?"

Damn. Where had Maki found that jersey, in this low light, so close to the amethyst in her eyes, it just made Nico want to step in and read what Maki was feeling...especially when she was just standing there, arms crossed, looking so miserable, hiding behind her bangs.

"Maki-chan?" Nico softened her voice.

A galumphing hug, and Maki whispering in her hair as Nico tried to breathe, "I missed you, Nico-chan. I just missed you."

Nico gave up trying to understand, wrapping her arms around Maki's narrow waist, pulling the goof close enough that Maki could feel how fast Nico's heart was doki doki-ing. Nico lifted Maki up slightly to twirl her so she was pointing at the street, "Come on, gorgeous. I know a little noodle shop where we can talk."

###

Maki put down her now empty bowl. Nico was finishing the last of her wantan-men. Midnight ramen run, Rin would be jealous.

'Hey, Nico-chan?" Maki spoke for the first time since they'd ordered.

Nico quirked an eyebrow.

"Rin knew that girl was…" Maki knew she couldn't finish that sentence without returning to mood: gloomy so she just skipped ahead, 'Why didn't you?' A worried note, "or did you?"

Nico popped a wonton in her mouth to give herself a chance for a mental wake up slap. She put her hand over Maki's with a gentle squeeze, "Nico's been paying attention to Nico…"

Maki snickered, she believed that completely. Nico was too busy juggling performance and business Idol issues to be distracted by anything non-Nico.

"Well, now I can move in and…" Maki started.

"No, no, no…" Bowls and spoons clattered as Nico gestured frantically, "you are not moving in. Your father is already going to…"

"Mama and I decided it will be fine. Papa is outvoted." Maki stated crisply, twirling a curl.

Nico worried her lip as Maki sat opposite, eyes glowing with pride, waiting for Nico to jump happily on train 'room together'. So Nico was going to have to confess. And she wasn't looking forward to it.

"Maki…"

Maki's brow furrowed. She recognized Nico's tone of voice. It was the slippery one. "Nico-chan?"

Nico sighed, "Maki, you don't realize. When tonight airs, there's going to be an explosion. People are going to be all over our social media, commenting, complaining…" Nico began to sound angry, "trolls forgetting they have mothers who could be reading their slime. You don't want to see that. You don't want a new surge of that every week. You don't want to be on camera every day. Trust Nico."

"We'll be fine. You handle it." Maki's earnestness was a quality Nico would always fight to protect, but it was not really helping right now. Nico needed shy Maki and was getting the naively romantical side. "We'll be together."

"Nico is a pro but…"

Maki refused to back down. "So am I."

Nico leaned over the table and kissed Maki, biting the redhead's lip. "Do you want the camera crew watching every time we do that? Or other things?"

"Um." Maki had her hands over her mouth, expression lost, bewildered…

"See, it's more complicated than just spending time with Nico."

Recovering faster than Nico expected, Maki sat up, jaw set, eyes sharp with purpose. She took Nico's hand, "It's not complicated at all, Nico-chan."

This close, Nico couldn't ignore the dark circles under Maki's eyes and the yawn the redhead was fighting, "Maki, did you sleep at all?"

Some of the fight leaked out, "Couldn't. Just the thought of...her….watching you, wanting you…"

"Don't." Nico's tone was strident. "You know I have fans. It's not real."

Maki grunted, "I don't like them that close."

"Nico will be sure to keep her at a distance." With Maki calming down, Nico could let her concern show, "But what are you going to do the next time Aki says something for a reaction?" It was hard not to be exasperated when Maki got in this mood, but considering that Nico and Aki had been sharing a bedroom, Nico wasn't unsympathetic to Maki's worries. But she did want to divert the conversation.

Maki shrugged, spinning her spoon in a slow circle. "Scream into another pillow, write another song."

Ah, now this was hopeful, if Maki was finding a way to express her feelings without destroying people or property, "You were composing last night?

"Yeah." Maki's lips pursed, like she was calculating the arc of the spoon spin. It was adorable.

"Nico wants to hear."

"I can play it for you when we get home." Now that, Nico thought, sounded like an excellent way to salvage the evening.

Nico stood, offering her arm, "Can I walk you home?"

The shy, pleased glow was one of Maki's best looks. And it was reserved for Nico. Hard not to feel bubbly about that.

###

Nico had headphones on, leaning against Maki's bed, dressed only in a borrowed t-shirt. Maki was sprawled on the bed, laptop out, hand bopping on Nico's shoulder as the song continued, her fingers sliding deftly along Nico's collarbone when the tune got to the denser, slower parts.

"Wow." Nico spun so she was facing Maki, lowering the headphones to loop around her neck, "That's a lot."

"I know…" Maki tapped a few keys, making notes, "it doesn't sound like anything I did before…"

"But it sounds so much like you…" Nico closed her eyes, picturing Maki pacing her bedroom, reaching for her keyboard, pounding out notes, sweeping to tweak chords and volumes, bouncing up to shadow box in the spare moonlight her window let in...stopping, flopping down to stare at the ceiling through splayed fingers, surrounded by silence, to hear the night's echo of her...solitude. It was a lonely song, richly textured with new awareness.

Nico popped up on the bed next to Maki, quickly typing a search request. "Have you heard Shizu-chan sing yet?"

"No."

"Listen." Nico hit play on a Shizu's cover of "Wanna Be Missed" and the gorgeous alto tones filled Maki's room, "I know you don't have lyrics yet, and Nico has some ideas about that, but the mood would suit her voice so well…" Nico had her arm over Maki's back, "And I know you want to come play in our recording studio."

Maki flipped, eyes narrowed, "Is Nico-chan confessing she wants me to visit her at Idol House?"

Nico leaned down for a quick kiss as she typed one handed, "Nico wants to everyone to hear that Nishikino Maki is still the best in the Idol business."

Maki was giggling, "I don't know, Nico-chan…" Maki paused to bat her lashes at Nico, "what about my fans? Won't they be jealous when they see how you look at me."

"Let 'em." Nico's turn to growl as she cued up a playlist.

And Jay Kent's cover of "Versace On The Floor" rolled.

A/N: Howdy. Have another. And now that my head's cleared a bit, I'm going to blast Christmas music and work on the finale of Jingle Bell Jazz before I have to start serious Midsummer Night's Dream prep.

The Idol House is based on one that actually exists. Links on Ao3 or check out Path Japanese architects, ARTechnic.

Take care!


End file.
